Vacuum system and nozzle for removing cut hair



J. L. RAN KIN Aug. 28, 1962 VACUUM SYSTEM AND NOZZLE FOR REMOVING CUT HAIR Filed Oct. 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet l macaw-p James A. Paw/rm Ffl'diP/VEYS.

J. L. RANKIN Aug. 28, 1962 VACUUM SYSTEM AND NOZZLE FOR REMOVING CUT HAIR Filed Oct. 12, 1961 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 FIG. 5

nv new r0 2.- JHMES L. FHA/KIM 3,050,767 VACUUM SYSTEM AND NOZZLE FOR REMGVING CUT HAm James L. Rankin, Berkeley, Mo. (5952 Brown Road, St. Louis 34, Mo.) Filed Oct. 12, 1961, Ser. No. 144,665

4 Claims. (Cl. -314) The present invention relates to a vacuum system for use in removing cut hair from the head, and particularly relates to a nozzle suitable for use with a suction source.

Although vacuum devices have been proposed in the past'for removing particles of cut hair from a patrons head, such devices have not proven completely satisfactory. For the most part, prior devices have been costly, complicated with many working parts, and noisy which is annoying to adult customers and particularly frightening to children.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a simple, inexpensive, compact, relatively noiseless central vacuum system for use in a multi-chair barber shop, said system including a main vacuum source positioned exteriorly of the main shop portion wherein the customers are barbered, with only a flexible hose being visible in said shop portion, so that obnoxious noises and bulky unsightly equipment are minimized.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a nozzle adapted to be connected to a suction means, said nozzle being particularly suitable for use in barber shops for removing pieces of cut hair from patrons heads.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a suction nozzle having a built-in on-ofi switch and a valve arrangement for automatically interrupting flow of air through the nozzle when said nozzle is positioned in an inoperative position.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum nozzle having an annular opening at its mouth with an outwardly projecting member adapted tospace said opening from the object being vacuumed so that the nozzle will not become clogged and inefficient when pressed against the object being vacuumed.

A further object of the present invention is to provide a vacuum system for barber shops comprising a plurality of vacuum outlets, each of said outlets having a flexible hose and nozzle attached thereto, and on-off means in conjunction therewith for automatically actuating the vacuum source when any of said nozzles is removed from the backbar of the shop; each of said nozzles having a ball and seat valve means for interrupting flow of air through said nozzle when said nozzle is positioned on the backbar of the shop.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

The present invention comprises a vacuum hair removal system having a plurality of outlets, an on-ofi switch, and valve means-in combination with each of said outlets to cut off flow of air through said outlet when not in use. The present invention further comprises a nozzle for use with said vacuum system outlets, said nozzle having a ball and seat valve means to interrupt the flow of air therethrough, and a protruding member at the forward end thereof to space the nozzle opening from the surfaces of the object being vacuumed.

In the drawings, wherein like numbers refer to like parts wherever they occur,

FIG. 1 is a partially broken plan view of a shop utilizing the present invention,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view showing the nozzle applied to a patrons head,

FIG. 3 is a detailed side view of the nozzle in its inoperative position with the flexible hose and electrical leads partially broken away and showing the nozzle attached to a backbar with the backbar partially broken away,

FIG. 4 is a plan view taken along line 44 of FIG. 3 with the backbar partially broken away,

FIG. 5 is a transverse sectional view of the nozzle in its operative position with the flexible hose connection and electrical leads partially broken away,

FIG. 6 is a sectional view taken along line 6-6 of FIG. 5, and

FIG. 7 is a wiring diagram of the present invention.

FIG. 1 shows a barber shop 10 having a plurality of conventional barber chairs 11 positioned therein. A wall 12 divides the main shop area from a utility area 13 which houses a vacuum source 14. Since the vacuum source 14 is not in the same room as the chairs 11 the noise is minimized in the main shop 10. IA. backbar 15 is positioned along one wall of the shop 10 and houses therein a main vacuum conduit 16 which is connected to the vacuum means 14 and has outlets 17 spaced along its length. Flexible conduits 18 are positioned on each of the outlets 17 and have nozzles 19 fastened to the free ends thereof.

Each of the nozzles 19 can be made of a suitable colored plastic to give a pleasing appearance and includes an outer cylindrical shell 20 adapted to be connected at one end to the flexible conduit 18. A hook 21 is pivotally fastened to the shell 20 and is adapted to be connected to a bracket 22 on the backoar 15. A protruding hollow spacer member 23 having asemi-spherical outer surface is positioned at the open end of the shell 20 by spacer brackets 24. The inner surface of the shell 20 and the outer periphery of the spacing member 23 defines an annular opening 25 which is adapted to pass air and particles of hair, etc. into the vacuum apparatus. When the nozzle 19 is in use, the spacer member 23- engages the object being vacuumed and the annular open ing 25 is spaced from said object, so that the opening 25 is kept open and does not become clogged (FIG. 2).

A ball 26 is adapted to be seated in a valve seat 27 which is fixed to the inner surface of the shell 20 and is spaced from the rear edge of the protruding member 23. Since the hollow pocket defined by the inner surface of the member 23 is adapted to receive the ball 26, the ball 26 is adapted to be seated in either the valve seat 27 or the hollow forward member 23, depending on the position of the nozzle 19. In other words, when the nozzle 19 is positioned with the free end upwardly (FIG. 3) the ball 26 is seated in the seat member 27 and effectively seals the annular opening 25 from the flexible conduit 18. However, when the nozzle 19 is in an operative position (FIGS. 2 and 5) the ball 26 is housed inside the hollow spacing member 23 and the flexible hose 18 is in communication with the annular opening 25 at the front end of the shell 20'.

An on-ofi mercury switch 28 is positioned in a slip fit between a plate 28a and the inside of the shell 20 and is connected by leads 29 and 30 to the actuating mechanism of the vacuum apparatus 14. When the nozzle 19 is upright (FIG. 3), the mercury 31 is seated away from the leads 2.9 and 30 and contact therebetween is broken. However, when the nozzle 19 is in operating position (FIG. 5) the mercury 31 establishes contact between the leads 29 and 30 and the vacuum apparatus 14 is actuated. The plate 28a is fixed within the shell 20 and preferably is molded therewith. Since the switch 28 and the leads 29 and 30 are spaced-from the main' portion of the shell cavity by the plate 23a, the particles of hair, dirt, etc. are passed through the shell 20 into the conduit 18 and do not contact said switch 28.

The on-ofl? switches 28 positioned in each of the nozzles .19 are connected in A parallel to the actuating mechanism of the vacuum apparatus 14, so that if one of through'when upwardlyin a 1 'i 3 v thenozzlesj 19 is used;the vacuum source 13 is actuated. However, in order to insure that the vacuum is pulled through the nozzle 19 which actually is being used, the

inoperative nozzles 19 are positioned in an upright position (suchas being hookedonto theb ackbar bracket 22) so that the seating of the balls 26 in the valve seats 27 interrupts air flow between the annular openings 25 and the conduits 18 and thus prevents the vacuum from being pulled through any of the inoperative nozzles19.

In operation, the nozzles 19 are normally positioned in an upright position .on the backbar brackets 22. Since the leads 29 and 30 are positioned in the forward end oflthe switches 28, the mercury 31 is spaced from said 7 leads and: contact therebetween is interrupted. The floatbetween the annular opening 25 and the conduit 18 through the passageway defined by the ball seat 27. .T he mercury 31 also falls to theiront end of. the switch 28 and establishes contact between the leads 29 and 30 to actuate the vacuum source 28: IIhe air flow through the nozzle 19 is indicated by the arrows in FIG.- 9

Although the present nozzle primarily is intended for wherein the balland valve seat are eliminated, but the unique spacer member is retained.

Thus it-is apparent that the present invention provides use in multi-chair barber shops having a central vacuum system, it can be utilized with individual vacuum units a vacuum apparatus and nozzle which achieves all-of the objects and advantages sought" therefor.

The present invention is intended to cover all changes and modifications of the examples of the invention herein chosen for purposes of the'disclosure, which do not constitute departures from the spirit and scope of the invention. i

What is claimed is: a I

1 A vacuum system comprising a vacuum source, a main conduit connected to said vacuum source, a plurality of outlets communicating with said main conduit, a flexible conduit positioned on .each of saidoutlets, a nozzle fastened to the free end of each of said flexible conduits said nozzle comprising a casing having .a free end, a hollow spacer member projectingforwardly of the free end and defining an annular opening therewith, a ball seat positioned within said casing rearwardly of said annular opening and defining a passageway communicating with said flexible conduit, and a ball adapted to seat in said ball seat to interrupt the flow of air theresaid nozzle .is positioned with its freeend an inoperative position, and a mercury switch positioned 'on each of said nozzles, said switches having leads positioned in the ends thereof nearer to the free ends of said nozzles, said switches being connected in'parallel and adapted to actuate said vacuum source when any one of said nozzles is positioned with its free end downwardly in an operative position. 7

2. .A vacuum nozzle comprising a hollow outer casing having a free end and a rear end adapted to be connected to a conduit, means on said nozzle topos ition said nozzlein'an inoperative position with its free end upwardly, a' hollow spacer member positioned at the free end of said nozzle' and having a semi-spherical portion projecting forwardly thereof and a cylindrical portion projecting rearwardly thereof and defining an annular air passageway with theinner wall of said casing, an in-[-' wardly tapering seat means positioned insidesaid casing rearwardly of the cylindrical portion of said spacer memher, said seat means defining an air passageway 3 com- 7 municating the annular opening with the rear end of said. nozzle; a floating'ball adapted to" seat in said seat means I when said nozzle is positioned with the free end upwardly and interrupt air flow between said annular opening and the rear end of said nozzle, said ballbeing received in the hollow spacer member when said nozzle is positioned with the free end downwardly to establish air flow through said seat means, and a mercury switch positioned on said nozzle, saidswitch including a pair of leads and being constructed and arranged to establish electrical ,con

tact therebetween when. the freeend of saidgnozzleis positioned downwardly and to interrupt electrical contact therebetween when the free end 'of said nozzle is-posi-.

tioned upwardly.

3. A vacuum nozzle comprisinga hollow outer casing: having a free end and an end adapted to be connected 1 to a conduit, a spacer member positioned at the free end and projecting forwardly thereof, said spacer member defining an opening with the, free end andspacing said free end from the'object being vacuumed, a plate:posi-' tioned within said casing, and a'mercuryswitch positioned between said plate and said casing innergwall, said switch comprising a pair of exposed leads and a poolof mercury, said mercury establishing an electrical connec tion between said leads only when the free, end of said v nozzle is-in aQdownwardly operative position.

4. A vacuum nozzle comprising a hollow outer casing having a free end and an end adapted to be, connected to a conduit, a spacer member'positioned at the free .end and projecting forwardly thereof, said spacer member defining anopening withthe free end and spacing said free end from the object being vacuumed, a valve seat positioned interiorly of said casing rearwar'dly of said free end and defining an air passageway, and aball adapted to be seated in said valve seat to interrupt flowofair through said passageway when'said nozzle .is positioned with its free end upwardly in an inoperative position,

said spacer member having a hollow inner surface adapted to receive said ball when said nozzle is positioned withits free end downwardly in an, operative position.

. ReferencesCited in the file of this patent V UNITED STATES PATENTS 850,909 Diserens Apr. 23, 1907 995,409 Lull June 13, 1911" 1,026,104 Moorhead May 14, 1912 2,138,279 Kneisley Nov. 29, 1938 2,641,790 1953 Coult June 16, 

